Plenty of reasons for Cardinals QB Kurt Warner to stay

by Paola Boivin - Jan. 18, 2010 12:00 AMThe Arizona Republic

Kurt Warner hasn't made a decision about retirement. On the plane ride home from Saturday's playoff loss to New Orleans, the quarterback spoke with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and said he "needed time."

Reporters were meandering through the team's training-facility locker room Sunday, sniffing for clues as players emptied their spaces. Warner would say one thing that hinted "retirement" and something else five minutes later that screamed "he's coming back."

"If I thought lobbying would help, I'd lobby," Whisenhunt said.

It won't. Warner has far more powerful forces tugging at him: his family, his faith and his love of the game.

It is easy to find reasons he would step away, even with one year and as much as $11 million left on his contract. Many athletes "Favre it" and unretire because they fail to find a comparable means to fill the void. Little can match the visceral rush of an NFL stage. Warner is a different animal, as anyone who has seen him grow giddy during discussions of his family and faith can attest.

His indecision, however, suggests he still is feeling the pull of the sport. Here are several things that could happen in the short term to sway the quarterback to return for another season:

• His health checks out.

Players underwent exit physicals Sunday, and although Warner was examined thoroughly after suffering a concussion against St. Louis in November, he wants to make sure his 38-year-old body still is running smooth.

Interestingly, he said Sunday that his "body actually feels pretty good, probably better than it felt over the last three years."

For an organization that wants him to return, that's a good sign. His biggest hurdle is deciding if he still is willing to put in the effort away from game day.

"The farther I've gotten into this, the more and more I demand of myself," he said. "Putting in the work and time gets to be more and more of a burden every year. Do I want to put in all the time during the week and the off-season work to prepare?"

• The organization shows it's committed to winning, not to frugality.

The Cardinals have some tough off-season personnel decisions to make, a storyline complicated by the reality that the league and union can't agree on a new labor contract. This won't be as big of an issue in the decision-making process for Warner because his career might extend only the length of his contract - one year - but it's worth addressing. If he returns, he surely wants to be around not only quality personnel but content personnel, too.

The defense needs a close look after its late-season struggles. Now seems like the right time to address a new deal for defensive end Darnell Dockett, a gifted player who would be difficult to replace. Dockett might be vocal in his desire for more money, but it's important to note he backs it up.

On a side note, it was interesting to hear Dockett on Sunday offer unsolicited praise for Whisenhunt, calling him "the kind of coach you respect and want to play for." Sounds as if it's time to extend Whisenhunt's deal.

• A higher being gets in his head.

Warner's wife, Brenda, told the New York Times that she does not have her husband's ear as much as people think.

"I don't even want to decide that for him," she said, adding, "I just laugh that people are trying to figure out when he's going to retire. People are trying to figure it out when it's only between Kurt and God."

I've heard of more than a few prayer groups in town that are trying to get their message upstairs.

• He takes a close look at his numbers.

It's one thing to retire when your skills are declining. It's much harder when you're the envy of the league.

"He's up there with the best of them still," wide receiver Steve Breaston said. "He's still playing very well."

Warner's quarterback rating was the second-highest of his past eight seasons, and he might be reading defenses better than anyone in the league.

"It is very hard to think of Kurt not coming back when you see the level he has played at for the last two years," Whisenhunt said.

• His kids get in his ear.

When asked how his seven children feel, Warner said of the four who would hypothetically have a vote, "it's probably 50-50."

Two of his sons, he said, are beginning to appreciate the game and Warner's role in it. Two of his daughters (not including the 4-year-old twins) "don't care anything about football so, 'If you don't have to get beat up anymore, we'd rather have you home.' "

Warner said he also considered retirement late last season but quickly changed his mind.

"A few days after (the season) was over and I was away from it, I missed the game already, and I was excited about going back and playing," he said. "If I'm still thinking about it a few days after the season, then it's not out of my system yet."